(Dept. of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Sejong University)
;
(Dept. of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Sejong University)
;
(Dept. of Environmental Engineering, Chungnam National University)
In order to evaluate the hazardous effects of environmental tobacco smoking (ETS), we measured the concentrations of major aromatic VOC from those who decided to participate in a program to quit smoking. By acquiring the air samples both before and after quitting smoking (QS), we were able to compare their BTEX concentration levels in their breathing air. The results of our study clearly showed that BTEX levels in respiring air samples were significantly high prior to the QS period. It was found that toluene maintained the highest concentration levels both before and after the QS period. However, the level of reduction was most significant in the case of benzene, as it was decreased 10 times from 4.8 to 0.46 ppb. When their reduced BTEX levels are compared to those who never smoked before, differences were not significant enough to distinguish in statistical terms. The overall results of this preliminary study suggest that BTEX levels in breathing air samples can be used as one of the most sensitive signals to judge the effect of QS.
환경흡연 (Environmental Tobacco Smoking)의 폐해를 평가하기 위해, 금연을 결심한 사람들을 대상으로 정하여 주요 방향족 VOC 성분의 농도를 측정하였다. 금연 전후의 호흡시료를 확보하여, BTEX 성분의 농도를 관측하였다. 그 결과 호흡시료에 함유된 VOC는 금연 전과 후에 확연한 차이를 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 금연 전후 톨루엔 성분이 단일 성분으로 가장 높게 나타났다. 그러나 저감효과는 금연전 4.8에서 금연후 0.46 ppb 수준으로 줄어든 벤젠성분에서 가장 두드러지게 나타났다. 금연 후 시료의 농도는 비흡연자들의 호흡에서 발견되는 농도와 차이가 두드러지지 않았다. 전체적인 연구결과를 평가하였을 때, 본 연구에서 사용한 BTEX와 같은 성분들의 농도변화는 흡연과 금연의 단계를 평가하는 하나의 지표성분으로 활용가능하다는 것을 시사하였다.